Collecting and Mapping Data About Bears

Scientists and wildlife conservation professionals use many tools to study animals safely and in a manner that does not alter their natural behaviors. They might use wildlife cameras to capture video or photographs of animals and use spatial tools to understand how far a species might travel or determine its preferred habitat. Dr. Wynn-Grant uses radio collars to understand where bears go and GPS to record evidence of where they have been.

This dataset is similar to one Dr. Wynn-Grant would create as she collected GPS points of evidence of bear activity, such as claw marks on trees, scat deposits, and footprints. 

Thinking Geographically

Based on the land cover type, where do you think black bears and humans might experience conflict? Do you see any evidence of bears in built areas? If so, which cities, towns, or villages? Do you see any evidence of bears near roads? If so, which roads? 

You can help protect wildlife by raising awareness about endangered species, visiting an accredited zoo and learning more about threatened species, and participating in citizen science efforts such as  iNaturalist .